Cape Town ๐ฟ๐ฆ
|
Chiang Mai ๐น๐ญ
|
Lviv ๐บ๐ฆ
|
Mexico City ๐ฒ๐ฝ
|
Tbilisi ๐ฌ๐ช
|
|
Population | 4,617,560 | 1,166,978 | 731,387 | 8,850,000 | 1,108,700 |
Official language(s) | Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English | Thai | Ukrainian | Spanish | Georgian |
Level of English | Very high | Low | Low | Moderate | Low |
Main airport | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) | Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO) | Mexico City International Airport (MEX) | Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) |
Most common months to visit | March - May, September - November | November - April | May - September | March - May, October, November | March - June |
Currency | ZAR - South African Rand (R) | THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) | UAH - Ukrainian Hryvnia (โด) | MXN - Mexican Peso ($) | GEL - Georgian Lari (โพ) |
Credit cards | Accepted almost everywhere, but cash still needed in smaller shops | Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. | Accepted almost everywhere | Widely accepted (less with AMEX) | Accepted everywhere |
Remote worker visa | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Average monthly costs | $1549 | $974 | $922 | $1867 | $1462 |
Rent | $618 | $274 | $400 | $778 | $752 |
Groceries | $129 | $169 | $91 | $281 | $112 |
Dining out | $269 | $108 | $151 | $182 | $169 |
Cafe | $32 | $45 | $21 | $49 | $45 |
Coworking space | $151 | $95 | $79 | $159 | $125 |
Mobile internet | $27 | $11 | $4 | $25 | $4 |
Public transportation | $55 | $60 | $5 | $11 | $8 |
Taxis | $21 | $20 | $12 | $9 | $14 |
Shared bicycles and scooters | $49 | $10 | $16 | $24 | $27 |
Sport and cultural events | $19 | $8 | $13 | $81 | $21 |
Museums and sights | $15 | $8 | $9 | $20 | $9 |
Nightlife | $43 | $62 | $43 | $64 | $53 |
Gym | $36 | $41 | $22 | $69 | $33 |
Yoga | $56 | $55 | $30 | $65 | $37 |
Massage | $30 | $10 | $27 | $51 | $53 |
SIM card options | MTN, Vodacom | AIS, DTAC | Vodafone, Kyivstar | Telcel, Movistar | Magti GSM, Geocell, Beeline |
Tipping | 10 - 15% at restaurants, round up elsewhere | 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere | 10% in restaurants, not expected elsewhere | 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services | 10% usually included in bill, not expected at bars or cafรฉs. |
Taxi apps | Uber, Bolt | Grab | Uber, Uklon | Uber | Yandex, Bolt |
Tap water | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable | Not drinkable |
Overall cuisine | South African cuisine has been shaped by a long history of Dutch, Malay, British and Indian settlements, making the food diverse and strong in flavor. There is a strong emphasis on game in all of its different forms, as well as spicy sauces and sautรฉed vegetables and dry-cured meats. Creamy desserts and liqueurs compliment large and flavorful meals. | Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. | Slavic. Emphasis on frilled meats combined with potatoes, carrots, pickles and cabbage. Creamy deserts often elaborated with cottage cheese. Lviv enjoys culinary influences from Kiev (traditional with an emphasis on chicken) and Odessa (various seafood dishes). | Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese | Cuisine of the Caucasus meets regional diversity in Georgia. Emphasis on spices and meats (poultry, beef, pork and mutton) as well as soups and creams. |
Local food specialities | Bitlong and droewors, boerewors, Cape Malay curry, bobotie, melkert, gatsby, bunny chow | Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua | Lviv cheesecake, fish Zupa, Tsivikli, Karmanadli, Banosh, Borscht, Salo, Syrnyky | Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas | Kachapuri, kuchmachi, khinkali, chikhirtma, kharcho with gomi, jonjoli |
Eat like a local | Cape Malay shacks, food trucks, street food joints, local grills, small bakeries and food markets | Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food | Local grills, themed taverns, local breweries, small bakeries | Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) | Small local restaurants, open bars, terraces and wine bars |
Vegetarian / vegan options | 24 options on HappyCow | 90 options on HappyCow | 9 options on HappyCow | 279 listings on Happy Cow | 10 options on Happy Cow |